Literary Imagery, Treasure Hunt, Small Group Work, and Discussion

Objectives: Learn how writers use images to suggest characters’ emotions. Practice cooperating in a small group. Practice finding information.

Before the lesson: Write these two quotes from Romeo and Juliet on the board:

“O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!”

“But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?
It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!”

Activity: Divide the group into smaller ones. Give each student a copy of New Youth Connections. Ask them to turn to “Parental Control” on page 10 (or at this link). Ask if any of them has read “Romeo and Juliet.” Point to the quotes and say, “Romeo is talking about Juliet in both quotes in different parts of the play. What image is he using to describe how she looks to him?”

The answers you are looking for are light, shining, brightness, radiance. Point out the obvious: that in the play Juliet is not really teaching the torches how to burn nor is she actually the sun. The writer is trying to convey how Juliet’s looks have affected Romeo. Shakespeare uses the “Juliet equals light” comparison in other parts of the play.

Tell the group, “Each group’s job is to read the story and make a list of words or phrases from the story that are associated with force, violence and coercion. You have 15 minutes to read the story. After 15 minutes, we will compare lists and talk about why the author put these images of force and violence into the story.”

Here are the expressions:
Fight back
Massacre my ears
Drag me
Pressure
Murdered me
Nail in the coffin
Soldiers fighting
Began their attack
Killed my day
Attack the enemy
Stabbed my character
Bash
Killing only my character
Police interrogation room
Annihilated my freedom
Fight back
Pushed back
Lock in protective custody
Ready to fight

Call time after 15 minutes. Ask the first group for one example of a violent image. Write it on the board. Go around the room, getting a different image from each group. If you have to, complete the list from the answer key above.

Then ask, “Why did the writer put so many images of conflict and violence in his story? Did he actually have violent fights with his family?”

After you get a few answers, ask, “Did these images make the story more vivid or more lively?” After a few answers, ask “Did the images make you feel like the writer was battling his parents for more independence?”